Triton XVI, Lot: 157. Estimate $100. Sold for $190. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

TAURIC CHERSONESOS, Chersonesos. AD 218-222. Æ (24mm, 7.96 g, 6h). EΛEVΘ-EPAC, bareheaded and draped bust of Chersonas right (with the features of Severus Alexander[?]); lyre to right / XEPCO-[N]HCOV, Athena Parthenos standing facing, head right, holding spear in right hand, bow in left; to right, forepart of stag right. Anokhin 909; Anokhin, Khersonesa 290; SNG Pushkin –; SNG Stancomb –; Sutzu II –. VF, dark brown surfaces, porous. Very rare.

From the Alex Shubs Collection.

Anokhin identifies the obverse portrait as that of Severus Alexander, rather than the ubiquitous Chersonas. The features certainly are more individualized, and are very similar to portraits of both Elagabalus and Severus Alexander as a child. As Anokhin placed two issues of this type during the reign of Elagabalus, one with a laureate portrait and one bareheaded, he identified the latter as Severus Alexander as Caesar.